Every parliamentary written question tabled by Gareth Snell this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 161–180 of 299 · this parliament
What proportion of (a) tableware and (b) crockery used in his Department is made by a British manufacturer.
A small amount of crockery and tableware has been purchased locally using departmental funds. No central record is maintained of these purchases. To determine the country of origin of all such items would require a check of all items in use. The cost of this would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold of £850.
What proportion of (a) tableware and (b) crockery used in his Department is made by a British manufacturer.
Tableware and crockery are not provided within the Department.
What proportion of (a) tableware and (b) crockery used in her Department is made by a British manufacturer.
The Government is committed to supporting British businesses and ensuring they have the best chance to win public contracts. The new Procurement Act creates a simpler and more transparent system that will support British businesses bidding for work. The Act also allows contracting authorities to set standards that recognise the quality and standard of UK businesses and products. Alongside this, the National Procurement Policy Statement encourages contracting authorities to consider this government’s Industrial strategy and the sectors vital to our economic growth. HM Treasury does not hold the information requested. The provision of catering facilities, including tableware and crockery in catering outlets for HM Treasury staff and buildings, is managed under contracts administered by the Government Property Agency.
What proportion of (a) tableware and (b) crockery used in his Department is made by a British manufacturer.
The Government is committed to supporting British businesses and ensuring they have the best chance to win public contracts.The new Procurement Act creates a simpler and more transparent system that will support British businesses bidding for work.The Act also allows contracting authorities to set standards that recognise the quality and standard of UK businesses and products.Alongside this, the National Procurement Policy Statement encourages contracting authorities to consider this government’s Industrial strategy and the sectors vital to our economic growth.The Scotland Office has tableware and crockery for use at events which has been sourced over a number of years from various suppliers within the UK. Information on the country of manufacture is not available.
Food and Rural Affairs, what proportion of (a) tableware and (b) crockery used in her Department is made by a British manufacturer.
Defra purchases crockery and tableware through a contract let under the previous Public Contracting Regulations 2015. We cannot confirm the proportion made by a British manufacturer, as this was not stipulated in the contract but it could be in future contracts. The Government is committed to supporting British businesses and ensuring they have the best chance to win public contracts. The new Procurement Act creates a simpler and more transparent system that will support British businesses bidding for work. The Act also allows contracting authorities to set standards that recognise the quality and standard of UK businesses and products. Alongside this, the National Procurement Policy Statement encourages contracting authorities to consider this Government’s Industrial strategy and the sectors vital to our economic growth.
What proportion of (a) tableware and (b) crockery used in (i) his Department, (ii) Courts and Tribunals and (iii) the Prison estate is made by a British manufacturer.
All tableware (including plates, bowls, cups and cutlery) used in HM Prisons are made from polypropylene and polycarbonate plastics for safety reasons. They are manufactured in house in our plastics injection moulding workshops. The items form part of the equipment issued to prisoners for their personal use and are washed and reused by the individual after each meal.It is important to note that despite being made of plastic they are multi-use and are washed and reused time and time again. Each of the items are 100% recyclable.The Government is committed to supporting British businesses and ensuring they have the best chance to win public contracts. The new Procurement Act creates a simpler and more transparent system that will support British businesses bidding for work. The Act also allows contracting authorities to set standards that recognise the quality and standard of UK businesses and products. Alongside this, the National Procurement Policy Statement encourages contracting authorities to consider this Government’s Industrial strategy and the sectors vital to our economic growth.
What proportion of tableware and crockery used in his Derpartment is made by a British manufacturer.
The Cabinet Office does not hold information regarding this, and it would incur disproportionate costs to gather this information. The Government is committed to supporting British businesses and ensuring they have the best chance to win public contracts.
What proportion of (a) tableware and (b) crockery used in (i) his Department and (ii) Hillsborough Castle is made by a British manufacturer.
The Government is committed to supporting British businesses and ensuring they have the best chance to win public contracts.Crockery and tableware at Northern Ireland Office buildings and Hillsborough Castle has been sourced over a number of years from various suppliers. However, full information about the country of manufacture is not available. A percentage of the crockery used within the department and Hillsborough Castle was however manufactured in the United Kingdom.
Innovation and Technology, what proportion of (a) tableware and (b) crockery used in his Department is made by a British manufacturer.
Tableware and crockery are not provided within the Department.The Government is committed to supporting British businesses and ensuring they have the best chance to win public contracts.The new Procurement Act creates a simpler and more transparent system that will support British businesses bidding for work.The Act also allows contracting authorities to set standards that recognise the quality and standard of UK businesses and products.Alongside this, the National Procurement Policy Statement encourages contracting authorities to consider this government’s Industrial strategy and the sectors vital to our economic growth.
Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what proportion of (a) tableware and (b) crockery used in (i) his Department and (ii) British Embassies and Consulates is made by a British manufacturer.
The requested information is not centrally collated by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
What proportion of (a) tableware and (b) crockery used in her Department is made by a British manufacturer.
We do not hold this information.The Government is committed to supporting British businesses and ensuring they have the best chance to win public contracts. The new Procurement Act creates a simpler and more transparent system that will support British businesses bidding for work. The Act also allows contracting authorities to set standards that recognise the quality and standard of UK businesses and products. Alongside this, the National Procurement Policy Statement encourages contracting authorities to consider this government’s Industrial strategy and the sectors vital to our economic growth.
What proportion of (a) tableware and (b) crockery used in (a) his Department and (b) job centres is made by a British manufacturer.
The current FM supply chain who provide catering services (as of 1st October 2025) has inherited canteen crockery and cutlery from the previous supplier(s), therefore are unable to ascertain where these were manufactured. Our suppliers have confirmed there are no plans in place currently to purchase any crockery or cutlery in the future.
What proportion of (a) tableware and (b) crockery used in (i) his Department and (ii) military bases is made by a British manufacturer.
This information is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
What proportion of (a) tableware and (b) crockery used in his Department is made by a British manufacturer.
The department does not hold information on the tableware and crockery used in our offices. The Government Property Agency provides the department with property asset management, including catering and restaurant/café services.
What proportion of (a) tableware and (b) crockery used in (a) his Department, (b) Integrated Care Boards, (c) hospitals and (d) NHS England Offices is made by a British manufacturer.
The Government is committed to supporting British businesses and ensuring they have the best chance to win public contracts. The new Procurement Act creates a simpler and more transparent system that will support British businesses bidding for work. The Act also allows contracting authorities to set standards that recognise the quality and standard of UK businesses and products. Alongside this, the National Procurement Policy Statement encourages contracting authorities to consider this government’s Industrial strategy and the sectors vital to our economic growth. The tableware and crockery used in the Department is provided by our catering supplier. They do not record where the crockery was made and are unable to advise what proportion was manufactured in Britain. Some of the crockery was manufactured in the UK.Integrated care boards, hospitals, and NHS England do not hold this information and it could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Communities and Local Government, what proportion of (a) tableware and (b) crockery used in his Department is made by a British manufacturer.
Catering facilities across the property portfolio are managed and operated by either Government Property Agency, landlords and/or their respective contractors, who supply all necessary tableware and crockery. The Government is committed to supporting British businesses and ensuring they have the best chance to win public contracts. The new Procurement Act creates a simpler and more transparent system that will support British businesses bidding for work. The Act also allows contracting authorities to set standards that recognise the quality and standard of UK businesses and products. Alongside this, the National Procurement Policy Statement encourages contracting authorities to consider this government’s Industrial strategy and the sectors vital to our economic growth.
Media and Sport, what proportion of (a) tableware and (b) crockery used in her Department was made by a British manufacturer.
The Government is committed to supporting British businesses and ensuring they have the best chance to win public contracts. The new Procurement Act creates a simpler and more transparent system that will support British businesses bidding for work. The Act also allows contracting authorities to set standards that recognise the quality and standard of UK businesses and products. Alongside this, the National Procurement Policy Statement encourages contracting authorities to consider this government’s Industrial strategy and the sectors vital to our economic growth. DCMS does not own its offices, and therefore decisions regarding formal crockery and tableware are largely made by the property management companies. However, to supplement this, the department did purchase some crockery in early 2024, before the Procurement Act came into place, that were procured through a British company but manufactured in China.
What assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of withdrawing funding from applied general qualifications in 2026 on the number of students.
This government is fully committed to the future of T Levels. Where a student wishes to study a large qualification and a T Level exists, they should undertake the T Level. Where we identified that qualifications in T Level routes should be retained for longer, we are retaining these until reformed alternatives are available.For students who do not wish to take A levels or T Levels, there will be other qualifications in the system, including smaller qualifications in T Level areas which can be combined in mixed programmes. Newly reformed qualifications are now available for delivery at levels 2 and 3.We published an Equalities Impact Assessment alongside the outcome of the Review of Qualifications Reform, which is accessible at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/review-of-level-3-qualifications-reform-equality-impact-assessment.The department expects the impact on student numbers to be mitigated by the phased withdrawal of funding, allowing time for reformed alternatives to bed in.
What the average GCSE score was for 16 to 19 year olds in England studying (a) A-levels, (b) Applied General Diplomas, (c) Applied General Extended Diplomas and (d) T-levels in the last year for which data are available.
The average GCSE or equivalent score of students who completed A levels, applied general qualifications and T Levels in the 2023/24 academic year can be found in the attached table.A breakdown of applied general into diplomas and extended diplomas is not available.
What assessment she has made of the potential impact of increasing access to digital resources on children’s literacy.
The government's Opportunity Mission aims to remove barriers and ensure every child achieves and thrives by providing the best start in life and essential skills.We are building the evidence base on the impact of technology in education through the EdTech Evidence Board, the Testbed Programme, and research into technology and cognitive development. Evidence from the Education Endowment Foundation shows technology can accelerate learning by up to three months. Technology should support learning, not replace high quality teaching and interaction.The national curriculum requires teachers to encourage pupils to develop the habit of reading widely and often, for both pleasure and information. It also emphasises the importance of listening to, discussing, and reading a wide range of stories, poems, plays and non-fiction books for themselves.The department respects the autonomy of teachers to choose to use or recommend resources based on individual need in their own educational context and circumstances. Schools are free to choose to use a range of formats, including different forms of digital technology such as Kindles and audiobooks.